Melting furnace



Dec 6, 1949 P. H. ROMPH 2,490,161

MELTING FURNACE Filed July .5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ.

INVENTOR.

PAUL H.ROMPH W AmmflM ATTORNEYS Dec. 6, 1949 P. H. ROMPH MELTING FURNACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1944 INVENTOR.

PAUL H.ROMF"H ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES O'iFiFEPCE 2,490,161 MBED TING FURNACE Paul H. R'Omph, Detroit,-Mieh. *Kppiieaition J i1 1y5', 1944,?5er ial 1605543594 ,3 Claims. (Cl. 263'"-33) The invention rmtes "to "melting fur nace's or the type'foriii in-g th'e 's'ub ject-matte'r 'of my former Patent 1,671,546 of May29, I928.

l he inst-ant invention is in the mature of an irnprovemerit in which certain defects in the former construction have been eliminated and other advantageous features have been secured.

this end the invention 'consists in the construetion as hereinafter set forth.

the drawings:

F-ig-1is-a side'elevationof the furnace;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view with top portion removed; and

Fig. 4 is an opposite "end elevation.

The construction shown in my former patent consists essentially-in a melting pot of substantially cylindrical ior'm having conical end portions terminating in cylindrical spout portions of smaller diameter. This \pot is arranged within an outer -c'ylindric'al casing with the spout portions extending through the end walls of said casing. The annular space between the pot and the outer casing forms a combustion chamber supplied with liquid or gaseous fuel :in the lower portion thereof, While an aperture in the upper portion of the outer casing provides for escape of the products of --ccrnbustion. The --furnace is mounted on trunnions having their axis transverse to the axis of the cylinder and means is also provided for tilting the furnace on said trnnnions for discharging molten metal "out of one or the otherof said spouts.

-In the operationof a furnace of thisconstruc- -tion-it has been found that there is a tendency 1 for the melting pot to crack. This is largely due to its shape which when heated and expanded concentrates stresses at-certainpoints to initiate a fracture.

Another feature of thestructure is a means for rotat i-vely adjusting the pot so as to bring difterent rportions'of the cylindrical surface thereof to the bottom where the molten metal is held. However, as specially show-n, -=such rotation 'of the pot carries with it'the outer casing and itis, therefore, necessary to change the connections {or teeding the fuel into said casing as these should always be located at the bottom.

With my improved construction I have elemihated the cause of fracture -by changin'g the shape of thepot -from a-substantially cylindrical to a spherical form. -I have also made aprovision fer-rotating the :pot independently-of any rotati'on of the-outer casing *which avoids the neces- -sity of making any change in the fuel supply 2 connections. Theseend etherenengesihewerbem incorporated in myim revedcenstnuetion which specifically is, as renews:

A is the pot which, es-shown, is dr substantiahy spherical shape but provided. eminence spout portions "B en diametrically epposite siiies thereof. -The pot is preferably formed of metal having the spout portions B iritegial-there with. c is the outer 'ca'sin'g whicn alse is -ei sii-bstantiallyspherical shape but ota lar'ger diameifer than that o'f the pot. The casing is else termed of semi sp'hefic'al secticns are boltedor otherwise secured to-=each other -at :substantieny the equator of the sphere. "These sections 1m about the spout portions or the spot and e eefractory lin'ing D covers the entire inne'r serrate. To facilitate manufacture the semi-spherical sectionsare fo'rmedof a series-of sheet metai seg ments C welded to each -o'ther -aloiig meridian lines of the s here. "The 1ower'=seetion C is alsoprovided with a substantially rectangular en 'la'rgement E at its iewer ena nominated to the spherical portion by i'ricli'neii portions F. I'i u'n nions G are attached to the lower section 0f the casing by --rneahs df plates G, the axi's of emu trunnion's being transiierse to the ii's er tineranindrieei-speuts and in-"asligiitly' l'ower plane. fine trurihions-are ourh'a'led in beeringe n dtthe ilp per ends of sta'nda rds H which latter rest upee the fl'oonor Qther SuppOrt. The ma neutered to the lower section of the casing 'by suitable conduits, portions 1 of which are meuntea on the lower section (3 of ithe-casing to move therewith. while ether portions 1' "are *sItationary. The connecti'on be'tween the stationary portion i and the niovabl'e portionsl is'tnroueh tenet-couplings? in alignment with' the axis of -on'e (if-the thin- 'nio'ns. Theopposit'e trunnion-has-securedthereto outside or the supporting b'earin a worm 'wl ieel i which is inm'e'sh with-a worm e This worm is mount'ed on a bracket 'at one side "(if thes'tan'da'rd on which "bracket is else *memitefi a shaft G connected to tneworrn through eef/'- eled gear wheels Gi A hand w'he'el G 'on the shaft G serves ror manually rotating the same and through the gearing t'o flick a "fu'fhalfe up'o'n it's trunni'ons so as to discharge me'item'rnetiil Jfrom'oneor the other df'tlie spouts. when the 'f-ur'nace is in "operation, the "heat generated by the combustion of the fuel Will -'be iiistri'Biitl-LH arouno'rl the entire spherical summer the but as' theqatterliasthe metal te'te'mitedemy 'intne lower 'pertio'n, thiswill receive the highest heat'iremtne ruel. newev'ergiiueito tneeminetien ef neat curing the melting iii the ental,

the latter will act more or less as a cooling agent. This will result in raising the actual temperature of the portion of the pot out of contact with the molten metal higher than that portion in contact therewith. Such condition is undesirable and I have, therefore, made provisions for rotating the pot about the axis of the cylindrical spouts to bring different portions of the spherical surface successively in contact with the metal. Such rotation is facilitated by mounting the cylindrical spout portions on rollers J which latter are journaled in brackets J mounted on the section C These rollers hold the spouts B out of frictional contact with the surrounding portions of the casing C but the clearance space is so small as to avoid passage of combustion gases therethrough. One of the spouts is further provided with a toothed wheel'K at its outer end by means of which and a cooperating lever the pot may be partially rotated at frequent intervals. If desired, a gearing may be connected to the wheel K but this is not necessary as the lever operator is quite satisfactory. The upper section of the outer casing has an aperture C in the top thereof permitting the escape of the gaseous prod- ,ucts of combustion and, if desired, an exhaust ,hood may be placed over this aperture to carry away such gases.

- My improved construction has a much longer life than the construction forming the subject matter of my former patent and it is also more efficient. Thus, the outer casing being substantially parallel to the surface of the pot forms a uniform space therebetween for producing a substantially uniform heating effect over the greater portion of the area. However, immediately ad- -jacent the burners the heat is more intense and this is directly conducted to the lower portion of the pot which is protected from overheating by the melting of the metal therein. At frequent intervals the pot is revolved step by step, each step bringing a portion previously out of the contact with the molten metal into contact therewith and, at the same time, removing a portion previously in contact with the molten metal to a position above the same. The result is that heat is conserved and, at the same time, the pot is held at a more nearly uniform temperature in all portions thereof which will increase its life.

It 'may be desirable in the melting of certain metals such, for instance, as the highly combustible magnesium, to close the spouts so as to maintain a non-oxidizing atmosphere within the pot. For this purpose cover plates L are provided to be detachably connected to the outer ends of the spouts by claimping bolts L. Also, under certain conditions it is desirable to raise the atmospheric pressure within the pot, while under other con ditions the pressure may be lowered to below that of atmosphere. This is provided for by attaching to one of said cover plates conduits, such as M,

,which are connected to either a source of higher pressure or of vacuum.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A melting furnace comprising a substan- 'tially spherical melting pot having integral cylindrical spouts on diametrically opposite sides thereof, a substantially spherical outer casing surrounding and spaced from said pot and pro- ,vided with openings for the passage of said "spouts, said casing being formed of sheet metal segments joined to each other along meridian lines and provided with a refractory lining covering the inner surface, roller bearings mounted 2. id c ng an .ensee eth Outer p ti ns of said spouts to rotatively support said pot within said casing for independent rotation, means on one of said spouts facilitating independent rotation of the same, trunnions on opposite sides of said casing having a common axis transverse to the axis of said spouts, supporting bearings in which said trunnions are journaled, a conduit for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber having a portion thereof in axial alignment with one of said trunnions and having a swivel connection with a stationary conduit, and mechanism connected to the opposite trunnion for rotating the same to tilt the furnace so as to discharge molten metal through one or the other of said spouts.

2. A melting furnace comprising a substantially spherical pot having cylindrical spouts integral therewith on diametrically opposite sides thereof, a substantially spherical outer casing surrounding said pot leaving a space therebetween for forming a combustion chamber, said casing being formed of sheet metal segments joined to each other along meridian lines, being also provided with a refractory lining covering its inner surface and having openings through which said spouts extend, roller bearings mounted on said casing for engaging the outer portions of said spouts to rotatively support said pot within said casing for independent rotation, detachable cover plates for closing the outer ends of said spouts, means connected to one of said cover plates for introducing a gas under a predetermined pressure other than that of the external atmosphere and maintaining said pressure on the metal within said pot during the melting of the same, trunnions on opposite sides of said casing having a common axis transverse to the axis of said spouts, supporting bearings in which said trunnions are journaled, a conduit for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber having a portion in axial alignment with one of said trunnions and having a swivel connection with a stationary conduit, and means connected to the opposite trunnion for rotating the same to tilt said furnace and to discharge the molten metal through one of the other of said spouts after removal of the cover plate therefrom.

3. A melting furnace comprising a substantially spherical melting pot having integral cylindrical spouts projecting from diametrically op-- posite sides thereof, a substantially spherical outer casing surrounding said pot leaving a space therebetween for forming a combustion chamber and provided with openings through which said spouts extend, said casing being formed of sheet metal segments joined to each other along meridian lines and provided with a refractory lining covering the inner surface, roller bearings mounted on said casing and engaging the outer portions of said spouts to rotatively support said pot within said casing for independent rotation, cover plates for closing the outer ends of said spouts, means connected to one of said cover plates for introducing a gas under a predetermined pressure other than that of the external atmosphere and maintaining said pressure on the metal within said pot during the melting of the same, a conduit connecting with one of said cover plates for the introduction or withdrawal of gas to raise or lower the pressure within said pot, trunnions on diametrically opposite sides of said casing having a common axis which is transverse to the axis of said spouts, supporting bearings in which said trunnions are journaled, a conduitfor supplying fuel to said combustion chamber having a. portion extending in axial alignment with one of said trunnions and having a swivel connection with a stationary conduit, means connected with the other of said trunnions for rotating the same to tilt said 5 furnace and. pot so as to discharge molten metal through one or the other of said spouts, and means for turning one of said spouts to rotate said pot within said casing.

PAUL H. ROMPH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Levey June 29, 1886 Maltitz Feb. 18, 1908 Machlet Apr. 20, 1920 Griswold et a1. Apr. 26, 1921 Romph May 29, 1928 Machlet June 2, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1897 

